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This Rotten World #5
This Rotten World: Choking on the Ashes
As our survivors near the coast, the road takes its toll. Falling apart physically and emotionally, they are drawn to the siren call of the beach. Seaside awaits them, a town demolished by a tsunami and crawling with the reanimated. With infants in tow, the survivors must band together to fight for a new home. All that stands between them and the future is an army of the dead. Will they succeed, or will they find themselves Choking on the Ashes?
439 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 4, 2021
94 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 12, 2021
Perfect.
Waiting for the end of this series was excruciating, but so worth it. The perfect ending to a fantastic series where no one, no matter how much you love them, is safe. One of the best zombie series I’ve read!
Waiting for the end of this series was excruciating, but so worth it. The perfect ending to a fantastic series where no one, no matter how much you love them, is safe. One of the best zombie series I’ve read!
November 11, 2022
This series as a whole is five stars for me.
Yes grammar issues.
Yes character placement inconsistencies.
Yes lots of characters, lots of storylines.
Did not stop my enjoyment of these books.
I loved and equally disliked some characters but I found myself caring about what happened to them.
Been on a bit of a zombie/apocalypse kick lately.
New author to me and I really enjoyed this story.
Audio sounds really good too!
Yes grammar issues.
Yes character placement inconsistencies.
Yes lots of characters, lots of storylines.
Did not stop my enjoyment of these books.
I loved and equally disliked some characters but I found myself caring about what happened to them.
Been on a bit of a zombie/apocalypse kick lately.
New author to me and I really enjoyed this story.
Audio sounds really good too!
March 7, 2022
This Rotten World
I loved this series. I have read alot of Apocalypse/Zombie books. Over 100 different authors! I have to tell you, you are in the top 3!
The characters were great! I loved Rudy, Amanda,Joan,Kate, the Sargent T? and many more! I would loved to see more of this series. Starting the Drop now. Thanks
I loved this series. I have read alot of Apocalypse/Zombie books. Over 100 different authors! I have to tell you, you are in the top 3!
The characters were great! I loved Rudy, Amanda,Joan,Kate, the Sargent T? and many more! I would loved to see more of this series. Starting the Drop now. Thanks
May 29, 2024
The best in the series by far (This puts The Walking Dead to shame)
One of the things I mentioned in my review of the previous books, was how It always felt like this series was a death march. The characters, unlike in other zombie franchises, don't get to build a community that then crumbles, then they move to another community, that then crumbles, etc etc. from book 1 this has felt like these people can't stop long enough because the dead are always coming and they don't stop. This book in particular highlights that. It makes you feel the exhaustion of the characters, follow the by a non-stopping force which are the zombies. And even though there might be times of settling down for a while, the pacing of the book makes it feel like those times are fleeting in comparison to the oncoming horde.
There's so much creativity, thought, and inventiveness that goes into this book. Especially during the final big set piece. It feels overwhelming. where other series might have just had your nearly superhuman characters shoot (with the endless supply of bullets they seem to come upon during the zombie apocalypse for some reason) and hack through thousands of zombies over and over until they stop, with only side characters meeting their end, Morris gets creative. This feels researched, planned, thought out. This is people trying to survive by the skin of their teeth. And not all of them will survive of course. He set up this "Return of the King" level battle for survival since the past book. What others might have considered just a random bunch of characters meeting their end due to a natural disaster, is actually Mordor amassing their army.
I've enjoyed this series from Book 1. And for anybody who didn't see that Morris had a clear vision going into this, this book is testament of just how clear his vision of his story was.
One of the things I mentioned in my review of the previous books, was how It always felt like this series was a death march. The characters, unlike in other zombie franchises, don't get to build a community that then crumbles, then they move to another community, that then crumbles, etc etc. from book 1 this has felt like these people can't stop long enough because the dead are always coming and they don't stop. This book in particular highlights that. It makes you feel the exhaustion of the characters, follow the by a non-stopping force which are the zombies. And even though there might be times of settling down for a while, the pacing of the book makes it feel like those times are fleeting in comparison to the oncoming horde.
There's so much creativity, thought, and inventiveness that goes into this book. Especially during the final big set piece. It feels overwhelming. where other series might have just had your nearly superhuman characters shoot (with the endless supply of bullets they seem to come upon during the zombie apocalypse for some reason) and hack through thousands of zombies over and over until they stop, with only side characters meeting their end, Morris gets creative. This feels researched, planned, thought out. This is people trying to survive by the skin of their teeth. And not all of them will survive of course. He set up this "Return of the King" level battle for survival since the past book. What others might have considered just a random bunch of characters meeting their end due to a natural disaster, is actually Mordor amassing their army.
I've enjoyed this series from Book 1. And for anybody who didn't see that Morris had a clear vision going into this, this book is testament of just how clear his vision of his story was.
October 13, 2025
A chilling, unforgettable descent into darkness
The Rotten World by Jacy Morris is an absolute masterpiece of atmospheric horror. From the very first page, I was pulled into a decaying, unsettling landscape that feels all too real. Morris has a gift for creating tension that lingers like a bad dream—you can feel the rot beneath every word, the dread seeping through every scene.
The story is as much psychological as it is physical horror, exploring what happens when humanity is stripped down to its most desperate instincts. The writing is vivid, raw, and at times disturbingly beautiful. Every twist kept me on edge, and by the end, I was both horrified and deeply moved.
If you love horror that makes you think as much as it makes your skin crawl—something in the spirit of The Last of Us or The Road—this book is a must-read. Jacy Morris doesn’t just tell a story; he immerses you in a world that decays around you and inside you.
Highly recommended for fans of dark, intelligent, and visceral horror.
I received an ARC copy and this is my honest review.
The Rotten World by Jacy Morris is an absolute masterpiece of atmospheric horror. From the very first page, I was pulled into a decaying, unsettling landscape that feels all too real. Morris has a gift for creating tension that lingers like a bad dream—you can feel the rot beneath every word, the dread seeping through every scene.
The story is as much psychological as it is physical horror, exploring what happens when humanity is stripped down to its most desperate instincts. The writing is vivid, raw, and at times disturbingly beautiful. Every twist kept me on edge, and by the end, I was both horrified and deeply moved.
If you love horror that makes you think as much as it makes your skin crawl—something in the spirit of The Last of Us or The Road—this book is a must-read. Jacy Morris doesn’t just tell a story; he immerses you in a world that decays around you and inside you.
Highly recommended for fans of dark, intelligent, and visceral horror.
I received an ARC copy and this is my honest review.
October 11, 2021
I had a feeling I knew who would end up on that roof lol
Although..the the last plan to clear put the seaside place, threw me for a loop. There was some funny bits and I really loved how the author explained some of his decisions he made in writing. I felt like that was the point all along but I Felt like since I was confirmed of my theory that I connected! Also felt like I got a gold star lol but this was a great series and I think the writing got better through each of the books I read. I kept reading faster and faster wanting to know what happened, so there was good suspense and drama. I almost feel like I lived through this entire crazy unfair, happy, sad, crazy ordeal!
Although..the the last plan to clear put the seaside place, threw me for a loop. There was some funny bits and I really loved how the author explained some of his decisions he made in writing. I felt like that was the point all along but I Felt like since I was confirmed of my theory that I connected! Also felt like I got a gold star lol but this was a great series and I think the writing got better through each of the books I read. I kept reading faster and faster wanting to know what happened, so there was good suspense and drama. I almost feel like I lived through this entire crazy unfair, happy, sad, crazy ordeal!
November 4, 2023
One of my favorite zombie series of books by an indie author. This one maintains the. brutality of the world, adds a few new characters and some new and interesting ways to kill lots of zombies at once. And of course we lose some people. Our two groups of survivors find each other again and continue their trek to the west coast of Oregon. My favorite character died 😥 but I saw it coming. I was just holding out a fool's hope. But they died heroically so there is that. Turns out this is the last for this group's story. The next book in the series starts in with a whole new group. But it will be the same brutal world in which they have to survive. I'll be getting a signed hardback copy of the next book and I look forward to not getting attached to any of the new people either lol.
November 22, 2021
Jacy Morris has done an excellent job creating a realistic Zombie apocalypse world! If you like Zombie horror, I highly recommend picking up this series and following it through. The Characters are normal everyday people and develop and react (and some even Die) in a more realistic way than other zombie anthologies. The plot is believable and still unpredictable. Jacy hints in the author's note at the end of a spin off series and I hope it comes out soon as he is an author well worth reading
June 25, 2023
Really enjoyed reading these series of books. Looking forward to reading the next set with a new group of survivors.
This book in particular concentrated on the survivors battle for a safe haven. The way it linked into previous books was clever as I had genuinely forgot about the Gypsy Drifter!
A rollercoaster of emotions going through this book and I'm sure anyone who has read them this far will enjoy this closure to the Tejada group x
This book in particular concentrated on the survivors battle for a safe haven. The way it linked into previous books was clever as I had genuinely forgot about the Gypsy Drifter!
A rollercoaster of emotions going through this book and I'm sure anyone who has read them this far will enjoy this closure to the Tejada group x
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2021
Great series
Really enjoyed reading this series. They story and characters have you gripped from the first book. You really are rooting for the group and the individual characters, but don't get to attached because not everyone will be standing at the end .. I would definitely recommend this series .
Really enjoyed reading this series. They story and characters have you gripped from the first book. You really are rooting for the group and the individual characters, but don't get to attached because not everyone will be standing at the end .. I would definitely recommend this series .
December 8, 2021
Love this series, I didn't want to finish it! But luckily in the Afterword, Jacy did mention that there would be more books following other characters, woo hoo! I give this only 4 stars because of the ending. While I felt it did have a bit of build up, I still felt it ended a bit too abruptly. But I still highly recommend this series if you love you some zombies ;)
August 27, 2022
This seemed like a fitting end to this series (if not a little abrupt). Although, I think I read that we might catch up with the characters at some point.
My favorite characters made it through. There was a lot of zombie fighting.
If you are a fan of tense action amongst the zombie apocalypse, give this series a look.
My favorite characters made it through. There was a lot of zombie fighting.
If you are a fan of tense action amongst the zombie apocalypse, give this series a look.
February 5, 2024
I liked it, the series as a whole dragged on a bit here and there but I liked that they weren't afraid to kill people off. I don't think I'm going to continue the series since this is the last one for the "main characters" and any other books after this will be the same world but different characters.
April 10, 2024
Excellent zombie series
I really enjoyed this series. There is a lot of zombies some water logged which was interesting. The character were so real as the story went on. Some favorite characters died but the survivors went to he'll and back to make another day. My favorite character is Katie who was housewife, mother and zombie killer
I really enjoyed this series. There is a lot of zombies some water logged which was interesting. The character were so real as the story went on. Some favorite characters died but the survivors went to he'll and back to make another day. My favorite character is Katie who was housewife, mother and zombie killer
April 1, 2022
Damn, this was a good one, I enjoyed every moment of it, I was sad to see some of my favorite characters go and even teared up in some parts but damn this was a good one. Jacy promises for more to this series and I am excited to see what he has in store for us all.
November 1, 2022
Brilliant
I've read the four books over two weeks as couldn't put them down .
I won't go into the story line as I'm sure others have .
I came across the author from a face book advert and decided to give him ago ,glad I did .
I've read the four books over two weeks as couldn't put them down .
I won't go into the story line as I'm sure others have .
I came across the author from a face book advert and decided to give him ago ,glad I did .
January 16, 2023
This Rotten World: Choking on the Ashes
I remain unable to decide how I feel about this series. I loved and hated various aspects with a vengeance. I'm glad it's over at the same time I wish there was more!! Truly a conundrum!
I remain unable to decide how I feel about this series. I loved and hated various aspects with a vengeance. I'm glad it's over at the same time I wish there was more!! Truly a conundrum!
January 18, 2022
I have enjoyed every book in this series,I can't believe I have finished them I have to look for something else to read.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews